The name of this hormonal disorder is an acronym, PCOS, which stands for polycystic ovary syndrome.
It is a common disease in women that attacks the hormonal system and is also the most common cause of infertility. About 10-20% of women will experience this syndrome in their lifetime. It is worth treating seriously as it can have both short and long-term complications. PCOS can also be caused by a sedentary lifestyle, stress, poor diet, the unhealthy effects of being overweight, but it is mostly hereditary, a genetic predisposition.

It is characterised by a complex set of symptoms. Gynaecological problems can occur, such as menstrual cycle disturbance or absence, infertility. Internal medicine symptoms of the syndrome may include severe obesity, high blood pressure, and circulatory problems, cardiovascular complaints. There may also be dermatological symptoms such as excessively oily, acne-prone skin or greyish skin lesions.

Yet, perhaps the most disturbing symptom in women with the syndrome is the visible signs of male sex hormones becoming overwhelmed by the hormone imbalance. These include excessive hair growth in areas that are typical of men: the area between the navel and the pubic mound, around the nipples and on the lower back. There may also be a strengthening of the tiny fluffy hairs on the face, as if they were growing beards and moustaches.

In addition, if there is a family history of male pattern baldness, this may also appear in women with PCOS due to male sex hormones. They may then experience severe hair loss and baldness on the forehead and the top of the head.

Fortunately, these symptoms of the syndrome can be reduced with medication, which can help to reduce hair growth, reverse hair loss and help with fertility. Unfortunately, there is no complete cure for PCOS, only the symptoms can be treated.

Of course, there is no need to self-diagnose, it is just recommended that if you experience any of these symptoms, you should seek professional advice! After all, hair loss can be caused by many other conditions and reversible phenomena. Our blog post on female pattern baldness is available here.